Change of economic model
The current economic model is based on continuous growth, with an ever-increasing consumption of natural resources. Not only is this economic system putting our planet’s ecological balance in danger, it has also significantly increased its inequalities. Without a doubt, the global ecological crisis and the climate crisis in particular are largely due to excessive consumption on the part of the rich countries.
The climate emergency must spur us on to make changes in order to achieve a development model that respects the Earth’s ecological limits and ensures a decent life for all. Inaction involves much bigger risks than having the courage to make the changes that would put us on the road to achieving a more sustainable, fairer system.
We want a city that facilitates economic and productive activity by fostering a digital and circular economy model, with an economy that is fairer, more social, more environmental and leaves no one behind.
Most important challenges
- Driving a change in the economic model, for a fairer, more sustainable one that reduces inequalities and generates better quality employment.
- Evaluating the city’s tourism carrying capacity and promoting sustainable tourism.
- Accounting and complementing social and climate taxation.
- Generating economic incentives for more sustainable behaviour and activities by means of climate taxes.
Key actions and actors
Green economy
- Define a strategy for a green, blue and circular, or sustainable economy, promote business clusters in the renewable energy sector and circular economy in the city, as in the Besòs axis, for example.
- Barcelona City Council
- Draw up guidelines for public procurement with social and solidarity economy criteria, and low-carbon criteria; explore green, social procurement with City Council 2030 Agenda sustainability certification.
- Barcelona City Council
- Implement the carbon budget.
- Barcelona City Council
- Encourage voluntary agreements by big companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Government of Catalonia
- Study Barcelona’s tourism carrying capacity in sustainability, climate and social terms. Reduce tourist activity emissions.
- Barcelona City Council
Climate taxation
- Call for implementation of the Climate Change Act, including fiscal measures (tax on Co2-e, climate fund, etc.).
- Government of Catalonia
- Call for the Catalan Social and Solidarity Economy Act to be finalised and rolled out, along with the necessary resources for that.
- Government of Catalonia
- Establish a charge on the tax on stays in tourist accommodation.
- Government of Catalonia
- Amend Spanish legislation to enable new municipal taxes to be created in the area of tourism.
- Spanish State
Social and solidarity economy
- Promote green employment, self-employment and eco-entrepreneurship in economic sectors linked to climate change (energy renovation, solar panel installation and maintenance, sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) maintenance, sustainable foods and electric mobility, among others).
- Barcelona City Council, Government of Catalonia, Spanish State
- Promote a framework and legal instruments for increasing social and sustainable public procurement in Catalonia and Spain.
- Government of Catalonia, Spanish State
